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A guide to Día de los muertos celebrations in Lexington

It’s a good weekend to be a hispanista in Lexington. Granted we’ve had a great fall; from the Lexington Latino Festival to the many activities surrounding the Arts and Sciences Passport ¡Viva México! program, those of us who love the Spanish language and Hispanic culture have been busy. Still, this Friday and Saturday are special.

This weekend we celebrate Día de los muertos, or Day of the Dead, a well-known holiday that has become increasingly popular in the US. On November 1st and 2nd, families throughout Latin America (but especially in Mexico) build altars and visit cemeteries to remember loved ones who have passed away. The holiday is joyous, despite the macabre theme. Día de los muertos is a time to laugh with death, to accept the fact that we’re all headed that way eventually, and to give those we have lost a place at our table for the night. Here are some suggestions for how you can celebrate this weekend, just follow the hyperlinks to more information about and directions to the events. ¡Qué vivan los muertos!

Preparations

Start your weekend early by picking up a loaf of pan de los muertos at a local tienda, or Hispanic grocery market, such as Supermercado Aguas Calientes,on the corner of Versailles Road and Alexandria Drive, or El Rancho Tapatio, located off Nicholasville Road on Burt Drive (the grocery is next to the restaurant). Don’t wait until Friday though, by the then it’s likely that the bread will be sold out. Also, don’t forget to stop by the Student Center and pick up your tickets for the Ballet on Saturday.